The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-06-15
A GIRLS FIGHT.

kansas river, proved her bravery to bt
equal to that of any man living. Soor
after the war, while everything was yet
in confusion in the South, and especially
in the Southwest, Benton moved from
Missouri to Arkansas, and settled upon
the Arkansas river at point midway be-
tween Pine Bluffs and Arkansas Post
The country was then full Of outlaws OF
all sorts, and robbery, assassination and
murder were rife in the lonely sections.
Benton lived on the bank of the river,
and furnished wood to the steamboats,.
4 Hattie was his only child, and had been
accustomed to the wild life of the west
since babyhood. The mother was an in
valid, who could scarcely leave the house
or wait upon herself The father was Il
man of fiery temper, and people soon
learned that to attempt any love-making
with the girl would be pretty certain to
end in somebody's death. The three or
four gallants who came signing about
were made to walk the plank, and in
time il came to be known along the riv-
er that the old man Benton looked upon
his daughter as too good match for any
one in those parts. Then it was that an
outlaw named Jack Cummerford sent the
old man message that he was coming
to make Hattie his wife The fellow was
proprietor Of floating whisky shanty.
and had two or three hard cases constant
ly with him. While there was no ques
ton that this crew were guilty of stealing
and robbing and even worse, the victims
hesitated to complain, and the law to ar
rest.
Cummerford heard of the girl long
enough before he saw her, and the first
Benton heard of the outlaw was by way
of message in which Cummerford told
him that he would be on hand in about
10 days TO look the girl over, and if she
suited him he would take her away. The
father boiled over at the impudence of
the message, and he arranged to kill the
outlaw on sight. Had it been known
just how he would COME, Cummerford
would have been welcomed with a bullet,
but the messenger did not state that part
Of it, and after being on his guard several
days the father began to relax his vigi-
lance and believe the message to be
nothing more than an idle boast. One
morning he went down to his wood piles
to find shanty-boat moored at the bank
and a rough looking fellow just coming
ashore. Jack Cummerford and his gang
had arrived. and the villain intended to
make his word good. Benton was not
armed the outlaw had rife in his
hand. Suspecting some evil, the pioneer
started to retreat, but was shot in the /
back before be had gone 30 feet, and he
was dead almost as soon as the outlaw /
reached him. The three men then pro-
ceeded to the house together. The moth /
er and daughter were preparing brakfast,
and were ordered TO make provision for 1
their visitors. They had heard the rifle /
shot, but before they could voice their
suspicious of what had happened, the
leader of the gang brntally said
Come, now, hurry up. I've come to
take the gal away and, as | thought the
old man might object laid him out on
the start No snivelling now, but git
breakfast ready, and then prepar' to go
with me"
The mother was 50 overcome that she
dropped into a chair and began moaning
and weeping 1t was terrible shock to
he girl, but she realized from the first
moment that if she was to be saved from
he fate planned for her she must ss.ve
herself She therefore went ahead with
he preparations for the meal, and ABOUT
he time the men were told to sit dosn
o the table the mother hobbled out and
,at down beside the dead body of her
husband, 80 dazed and terrified that she !
.ould not shed tear. After the first
hook the girl began TO plan against the
.ang and every move made by the men
vas narrowly watched, As the place was
solated they had no fear of being disturb
d and took matters very leisure.y. They
alked of the shooting of Benton as cool
v as if they had only fired upon dog
nd as they drew up to the table Cum
nerford observed:
Ought to have hit him about two in
hes lower but il wasn't so bad for a
nap shot. Kinder sorry for the old wo-
nan, but she'll feel better after we fling
he body into the river. Say, gal, how
Eye like me, anyway? You orter be
,roud of such man as Jack Gunner
ord ~
Come, Jack, be bit easy on her un-
il we git aiioat,' remarked one of the
thers.
"Oh, sartin," chuckled the outlaw.
She's kinder fraid of me now, but she'll
oon be proud Of her husband. Rather
ooty girl. Hattie is. Sorry didn't come
ast week, but my motto is to attend to
izness fust Say, gal, don't be afeard to
lugh if you feel like it ("
Cummerford had brought his rifle or !
arbine to the house, while the others
ad left their firearms aboard the boat.
he carbine leaned against the wall in ,
he rear of the men, and just as they got !.
,irly TO eating the girl examined it sniti-
iently to note that the chamber contain ,
four or five bullets. No sooner was
he certain of this than she snatched it
p and sprang ont of doors, and as she /;
an for her mother, who was in the direct
ne Of the boat, she called to her to leave :
be body and hasten aboard the craft. !
,azed as she was, the mother did not
estate secoh&about complying, and
be was aboard before any Of the outlaws I